Various forms of stretchers and gurneys have been developed to transport persons for medical attention. A stretcher is a device typically having a canvas sheet stretched between two parallel longitudinal poles, and is typically carried by two persons, one person at each end of the stretcher, each holding the ends of the poles. “Gurney” is a term that is typically used to refer to a transporting device having a bed-like structure supported on a frame having wheels. Some emergency medical teams maintain a stockpile of stretchers for potential use in transporting casualties in a medical emergency involving a large number of casualties. However, because a stretcher is typically designed to rest near the ground it generally does not facilitate medical treatment of the patient it bears. Gurneys are typically too bulky and expensive to stockpile for medical emergencies. What is needed therefore is an inexpensive, compact, easily transportable medical platform that is easy to store and deploy and that accommodates medical treatment of patients.